Saturday, June 12, 2010

FYI: Hell's Kitchen Farmers' Market

Hell's Kitchen Farmers' Market
When: May through November, every Saturday from 10AM to 5PM
Where: Manhattan Plaza (43rd St. btwn 9th/10th Aves)

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Danger danger!

Walk down this section of 52nd St. at your own peril.  Unless you're a local, you are definitely walking in the wrong direction.  8th Ave is the other way. 


Flooding, rodents, fire hazard and--scariest of all--squatting!  


I take it back. Mosquitoes, very scary.  Probably a direct result of the flooding, too.

Anybody want to check behind these and let me know if there is a kickass, trendy new speakeasy
 called Emergency Room?  If this were one of the Villages, there most certainly would be.  But ovah here in the 10036, I'm taking them at face value for now.  Wouldn't want to ruin my shoes in all that flooding.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Less than appreciated: Taste of Times Square

I usually like food festivals, but this Monday I was less than ecstatic to find Restaurant Row packed with the Taste of Times Square event.  I'm not a street food snob, but even to me it wasn't anything to get excited about (unlike the 9th Avenue Food Festival from a few weekends ago).  Times Square, uh, standbys such as Applebee's and SBARRO's had booths.

A good analogy to illustrate how I feel about this event would be
Taste of Times Square :: Food Festivals
astroturfing :: grassroots movements

Sure, I noticed Becco and Toloache were there, and I didn't get to stop for a bite but I'd bet those were good.  However the overall roster, location, and chosen time (a Monday afternoon) would suggest that Hell's Kitchen natives were not the intended audience.  Overall, I less than appreciated the surprise.
Kids, this is a learning opportunity.  Midtown West is not one uniform lump of a neighborhood.  The eastern border of Hell's Kitchen in the 40s, if you will, is 9th Avenue.  The Theater District / Times Square area shares a boundary with HK there, in the 40s.  Above 50th Street one could say HK extends to 8th, given the distance from actual Times Square and the lack of theaters up there.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

A closer look at Balkanika

At the time of this writing, Balkanika is virtually nonexistent in cyberspace (save for this blog post).  It opened the Friday of Memorial Weekend and I visited for the first time just a few days ago.  The market area at the entrance of the restaurant has fresh fruit and vegetables, whole coffee beans, crackers and other groceries plus a cold food bar.  The restaurant begins further in, serving a collection of what I can only describe as "Mediterranean" food.  Drinks include hot or iced coffee, wine, and beer. 

The Village Voice and the listing on Chow say it is by the same owner as Kashkaval, which isn't hard to believe since Kashkaval is also a market/restaurant hybrid, albeit with a focus on wine and cheese.  I had a pasticio, described as a Greek lasagna, and a friend ordered chicken pilav with rice.  I'm not a food critic but I will say, I liked! And I will be back!



Saturday, June 5, 2010

A big welcome to you, and you, and you (and me!)

In this inaugural post, I want to extend my warmest welcome to Balkanika, Zigolini's and Totto Ramen.  And to me!
Balkanika: A Mediterranean market/restaurant that opened the Friday of Memorial Day weekend.  I really like the selection of whole coffee beans up front (Sumatra, Ethiopia, Colombia!) and the Greek lasagna I had for dinner yesterday.

Balkanika is on 9th Ave between 47th and 48th.  I haven't found any listings with more information, so I will keep enjoying it while it's still a genuine neighborhood spot.



Zigolini's Pizza Bar: Pizza + alchie + outdoors = win.  Opened the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, but I haven't tried it yet.  If you live/work downtown, you might know them from the FiDi Zigolini's.

675A 9th Ave.
Manhattan, NY 10036
(212) 333-3900
www.pizzabarnyc.com





Totto Ramen: Opened during the week. I kind of want to try it, but think I'll wait for the weather to cool off a tad (sorry).  It's just: June. In NYC. Bar facing kitchen. Open doors in lieu of AC. Sauna. I could be lured in with chilled soba, but I didn't see it on the menu.

366 W 52nd St.
Manhattan, NY 10019
(212) 582-0052
www.tottoramen.com







These are just a few of the new restaurants.  Brickyard opened less than a month ago (I think),  around 52nd and 9th.  I spotted a new Moroccan place on 10th too.  Haven't forgotten them!

I moved to this neighborhood almost exactly a year ago, and it's been great seeing so many new businesses arrive.  We've also said au revoir to Dousoeur de Paris, which was the charming-est Parisian pastry shop ever, and maybe ahead of its time for this neighborhood.  Will not forget you either!